Light Adjustable Lens signals breakthrough in post cataract surgery

The FDA approved the RxSight Inc. Light Adjustable Lens and Light Delivery Device, the first medical device system that can make small adjustments to the artificial lens’ power after cataract surgery so that the patient will have better vision when not using glasses.

Cataracts are a common eye condition where the natural lens becomes clouded, impairing a patient’s vision. Following cataract surgery, during which the natural lens of the eye that has become cloudy is removed and replaced with an artificial lens (intraocular lens, or IOL), many patients have some minor residual refractive error requiring use of glasses or contact lenses. Refractive error, which is caused when the artificial lens does not focus properly, causes blurred vision.

Despite numerous advances in lens and diagnostic technology, many intervening factors still contribute to unpredictable residual refractive error in current cataract surgery. Only about 50% of patients achieve their targeted distance vision without glasses, and a smaller percentage achieve excellent vision at all distances, even with current state-of-the-art multi-focal and other presbyopia correcting intraocular lenses. RxSight™ radically changes this paradigm. Instead of prescribing glasses after cataract surgery, physicians can apply the patient’s personalized prescription directly into the adjustable - in an office-based procedure. This enables an individualized process and delivers a degree of refractive precision that is approximately twice that of today’s cataract surgery.